Fluid treatment reactor

ABSTRACT

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a fluid treatment reactor. Separate input ports for influent and recycled effluent serve to eliminate the need for pH adjustment or carbonate stripping of the influent and recycled effluent flows. The fluid treatment reactor may include a media, a vessel including a top portion and a bottom portion, a solid discharge port, an effluent discharge port, an influent input in fluid communication with the media, and a recycled effluent port in fluid communication with the media.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to fluid treatment reactors andmore specifically to precipitating and/or removing constiuents using acrystallization precipitation reactor.

BACKGROUND

It is known that precipitation processes involve changing the chemicalenvironment of a fluid, for example, a water or wastewater stream, withvarious chemical species to affect removal of some or all of targetchemical contaminants, or species to be recovered, in the fluid. Thechange in chemical environment causes the soluble contaminants to becomeinsoluble, which facilitates subsequent removal of the contaminants orproduct to be recovered, by clarification, filtration, or any othersolid/liquid separation device. The resultant slurry can be dewatered bya mechanical device such as a filter press, belt press, centrifuge, orany other device well known to one having ordinary skill in the art. Theresultant slurry could also be completely dewatered through the use of athermal device, such as a drier.

The apparatus of the present disclosure must be of construction which isboth durable and long lasting, and it should also require little or nomaintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operatinglifetime. In order to enhance the market appeal of the apparatus of thepresent disclosure, it should also be of inexpensive construction tothereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, all of theaforesaid advantages should be achieved without incurring anysubstantial relative disadvantage.

BRIEF SUMMARY

There is provided a crystallization precipitation reactor including amedia in the reactor. The reactor includes a vessel. The vessel includesa top portion and a bottom portion. A solid discharge port is defined inthe vessel between the top and bottom portion a media inlet port toallow for recharging or addition of ‘clean’ media to keep the processwith sufficient media to provide effective treatment is defined in thevessel between the top and bottom portion.

An effluent discharge port is defined in the vessel proximate the topportion of the vessel. An influent input port is defined in the bottomportion of the vessel. The influent input port is in fluid communicationwith the media. The vessel also includes a recycled effluent portdefined in the bottom portion of the vessel. The recycled effluent portis also in fluid communication with the media.

There is also provided a fluid treatment system. The fluid treatmentsystem includes a crystallization precipitation reactor. The reactorincludes a media within the reactor. The reactor also includes a vessel.The vessel includes a top portion and a bottom portion. A soliddischarge port is defined in the vessel between the top and bottomportion. A media inlet port is defined in the vessel. An effluentdischarge port is defined in the vessel proximate the top portion of thevessel. An influent input port is defined in the bottom portion of thevessel. The influent input port is in fluid communication with themedia. The reactor also includes a recycled effluent port defined in thebottom portion of the vessel. The recycled effluent port is also influid communication with the media. The fluid treatment system includesa reagent source coupled to the vessel and in fluid communication withthe media. The reagent source is selectively coupled with the recycledeffluent port. The fluid treatment system also includes an optionalsuspended solids polishing device in fluid communication with theeffluent discharge port and with the influent input port.

There is also provided a method for treating a fluid with acrystallization precipitation reactor. The reactor includes a vesselcontaining a media and defining a lower portion and an upper portion.The method includes injecting influent into the reactor proximate thelower portion of the vessel via a first conduit. The method alsoincludes discharging effluent from the reactor proximate the upperportion of the vessel into an optional suspended solids polishingdevice. The method also includes injecting recycled effluent from thesuspended solids polishing device into the reactor proximate the lowerportion of the vessel via a second conduit.

The apparatus of the present disclosure is of a construction which isboth durable and long lasting, and which may require little or nomaintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operatinglifetime. The apparatus of the present disclosure is intended to be ofinexpensive construction to enhance its market appeal and to therebyafford it the broadest possible market. Finally, all of the aforesaidadvantages and objectives are achieved without incurring any substantialrelative disadvantage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fluid diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a fluidtreatment reactor; and

FIG. 2A is a fluid diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a fluidtreatment reactor utilizing concentric input ports.

FIG. 2B is a fluid diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a secondembodiment of a fluid treatment reactor utilizing concentric inputports.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a fluid treatmentsystem 10. The fluid treatment system 10 utilizes a crystallizationprecipitation reactor 20 to precipitate and/or remove contaminants fromfluids. The fluid treatment system 10 can also be used to precipitateother species from a fluid, the species then later being recovered. Forpurposes of this disclosure “contaminant” will be used to refer toeither of these two types of substances within a fluid.

Referring to FIG. 1, the fluid treatment system 10 includes acrystallization precipitation reactor 20. The crystallizationprecipitation reactor 20 contains a media 21 within it. The media 21could be one of sand nd/or seeding agent, for example _apurer/conditioned form of the constituent(s) to be precipitated. Othertypes of media are also envisioned. The seeding material to be utilizedis any material that can be fluidized and provide a nucleation point tohelp produce a crystal, and/or provide for the adsorption of aprecipitated material.

The crystallization precipitation reactor 20 includes a vessel 22 whichcontains the media 21 and includes various ports in fluid communicationwith the media 21 for ingress and egress of fluids or other material.The vessel 22 includes a top portion 24 and a bottom portion 26. Thevessel 22 is designed for flow to enter proximate the bottom portion 26and be forced through the media 21 and up through the vessel 22 in thedirection of the top portion 24.

As is well known in the art, reagent(s) are added to alter the chemicalenvironment of the flow of fluid passing through the media 21 and indoing so causes the soluble chemical contaminants dissolved in the fluidto become insoluble. It is occasionally necessary to discharge thesolids built up within the vessel 22. Therefore, the vessel 22 containsa selectively openable solid discharge port 28 proximate the bottomportion 26 of the vessel 22 and positioned between the top portion 24and bottom portion 26 of the reactor 20. The solid discharge port 28serves as an exit for solids and other material built up within thevessel 22. The vessel 22 also contains a selectively operable mediainlet port 29 to allow for recharging or addition of ‘clean’ media tokeep the process with sufficient media to provide effective treatment.

Influent is supplied from an influent source 46. The influent travelsthrough a first pipe 42 to the vessel 22. The vessel 22 defines aninfluent input port 32 in the bottom portion 26 of the vessel 22 whichallows influent fluid to enter the vessel 22. The influent input port 32is in fluid communication with the media 21. The influent will move ormigrate upward though the vessel 22 toward the top portion 24 and exitfrom the vessel 22 through an effluent discharge port 30 defined in thevessel 22 near the top portion of the vessel 22. This device isinteneded/designed to keep the media contained within the vessel 22.

Effluent that is discharged from the vessel 22 travels to an optionalsuspended solids polishing device 50, where the effluent may undergofurther reduction of precipitated or other suspended solids. Theeffluent then exits the suspended solids polishing device 50 and mayeither be discharged or may become recycled effluent.

Recycled effluent is routed back to the crystallization precipitationreactor 20 from the recycled effluent source 48 through a second pipe44, not in fluid communication with the first pipe 42, to a recycledeffluent port 34 defined in the bottom portion 26 of the vessel 22.

Recycled effluent is once again added to the vessel 22 to accommodatelimited precipitation reaction rates of the process, to facilitatefluidization of the bed, and to provide consistent hydraulic loading tothe crystallization precipitation reactor 20 to facilitate possibleinfluent flow variations.

Because the flows of influent and recycled effluent are not in fluidcommunication prior to entering the vessel 22 and are instead containedseparately within the first pipe 42 and second pipe 44 respectively,there is no need to treat the recycled flows with pH adjustment orcarbonate stripping, as is well known in the art, to prevent theformation of amorphous precipitated solids that would dramaticallyreduce the advantages of the process. Therefore, the fluid treatingsystem 10 is of simple construction, control, and operation and allowsfor a simple chemical injection system for fluid treatment.

A chemical reagent(s) can be added to the vessel 22 to effectprecipitation within the crystallization precipitation reactor 20.Therefore, a reagent source(s) 38 is provided. The reagent flowing fromthe reagent(s) source 38 is provided with two alternate flow paths. Thefirst flow path leads to a reagent nozzle 38 in fluid communication withthe vessel 22. The first flow path is controlled by a selectivelyopenable first valve 40. The second flow path is controlled by aselectively openable second valve 41. When the second valve 41 is in anopen configuration, the reagent source 38 is placed in fluidcommunication with the second pipe 44 containing recycled effluent.

FIG. 2A illustrates an alternate configuration of the first pipe 42 andthe second pipe 44. In this embodiment, the first pipe 42 conveyinginfluent has a smaller radius than the second pipe 44 conveying recycledeffluent, and is placed concentrically within the second pipe 44.Therefore, the influent and recycled effluent are not in fluidcommunication until the influent and recycled effluent are released intothe vessel 22 at the same portion of the vessel 22, while stilleliminating the need for pH adjustment or carbonate stripping of therecycled effluent.

FIG. 2B illustrates another alternate configuration of the first pipe 42and the second pipe 44. In this embodiment, the second pipe 44 conveyingrecycled effluent has a smaller radius than the first pipe 42 conveyinginfluent, and is placed concentrically within the first pipe 42.Therefore, again the influent and recycled effluent are not in fluidcommunication, however, the influent and recycled effluent are releasedinto the vessel 22 at the same portion of the vessel 22, while againeliminating the need for pH adjustment or carbonate stripping of therecycled effluent.

It should be understood that appropriate pumps, valves, sensors, andcontrollers are coupled to the vessel 22 and associated piping orplumbing and configured to operate the fluid treatment system 10.

The vessel 22, ports 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, and pipes 42, 44 may becomposed of metal, plastic, composite materials, and combinationsthereof, as determined by an operator or manufacturer as appropriatebased on the type of fluid to be treated and various otherconsiderations.

For purposes of this disclosure “fluid”, “influent”, and “recycledeffluent” being treated by the fluid treatment reactor include water,wastewater, slurries, suspensions, colloids, solutions, and other fluidsincluding liquids and other non-water or water-based fluids. This listis not exhaustive, but given only as an example of possible fluids,influents, and recycled effluents which the fluid treatment reactor ofthe present invention is arranged and configured to treat. Other fluids,influents, and recycled effluents are also envisioned.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” means the joining oftwo components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to oneanother. Such joining may be stationary in nature or moveable in nature.Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical ormechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one another or the two componentsand any additional member being attached to one another. Such adjoiningmay be permanent in nature or alternatively be removable or releasablein nature.

The fluid treatment reactor is of a construction which is both durableand long lasting, and it should also require little or no maintenance tobe provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. The fluidtreatment reactor is also of relatively inexpensive construction toenhance its market appeal and to thereby afford it the broadest possiblemarket. Finally, the fluid treatment reactor achieves all of theaforesaid advantages and objectives without incurring any substantialrelative disadvantage.

Although the foregoing description of the fluid treatment reactor andmethod has been shown and described with reference to particularembodiments and applications thereof, it has been presented for purposesof illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive orto limit the invention to the particular embodiments and applicationsdisclosed. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the artthat a number of changes, modifications, variations, or alterations tothe invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart fromthe spirit or scope of the continuous flow bypass manifold and method.The particular embodiments and applications were chosen and described toprovide the best illustration of the principles of the fluid treatmentreactor and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinaryskill in the art to utilize the fluid treatment reactor in variousembodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated. All such changes, modifications,variations, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within thescope of the fluid treatment reactor and method as determined by theappended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to whichthey are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A crystallization precipitation reactor,comprising: a media; a vessel including a top portion and a bottomportion; a solid discharge port defined in the vessel between the topand bottom portion; an effluent discharge port defined in the vesselproximate the top portion of the vessel; an influent input port definedin the bottom portion of the vessel and in fluid communication with themedia; and a recycled effluent port defined in the bottom portion of thevessel and in fluid communication with the media, wherein the influentinput port and the recycled effluent port are concentric and configuredto provide parallel flows.
 2. The crystallization precipitation reactorof claim 1, comprising a media inlet port to allow for recharging oraddition of clean media to keep the process with sufficient media toprovide effective treatment.
 3. The crystallization precipitationreactor of claim 2, wherein the media inlet port is defined in thevessel between the top and bottom portion.
 4. The crystallizationprecipitation reactor of claim 1, comprising a reagent nozzle coupled tothe vessel and in fluid communication with the media and a reagentsource.
 5. The crystallization precipitation reactor of claim 1, whereinthe recycled effluent port is in fluid communication with a reagentsource.
 6. The crystallization precipitation reactor of claim 1, whereinthe influent port is coupled to a first pipe and in fluid communicationwith an influent source.
 7. The crystallization precipitation reactor ofclaim 1, wherein the recycled effluent port is coupled to a second pipeand in fluid communication with a recycled effluent source.
 8. Thecrystallization precipitation reactor of claim 1, wherein the media isone of sand and a seeding agent.
 9. The crystallization precipitationreactor of claim 8, wherein the seeding agent is a material that can befluidized and provide a nucleation point to form a crystal, and/orprovide for the adsorption of a precipitated material.
 10. A fluidtreatment system comprising: a crystallization precipitation reactorincluding a media therein, the reactor comprising: a vessel including atop portion and a bottom portion; a solid discharge port defined in thevessel between the top and bottom portion; an effluent discharge portdefined in the vessel proximate the top portion of the vessel; aninfluent input port defined in the bottom portion of the vessel and influid communication with the media; and a recycled effluent port definedin the bottom portion of the vessel and in fluid communication with themedia, the influent input port and the recycled effluent port beingconcentric and configured to provide parallel flows; a reagent sourcecoupled to the vessel and in fluid communication with the media andselectively coupled with the recycled effluent port; and a suspendedsolids polishing device in fluid communication with the effluentdischarge port and with the influent input port.
 11. The fluid treatmentsystem of claim 10, including a reagent nozzle coupled to the vessel andin fluid communication with the media and the reagent source.
 12. Thefluid treatment system of claim 10, wherein the influent port is coupledto a first pipe and in fluid communication with an influent source. 13.The fluid treatment system of claim 10, wherein the recycled effluentport is coupled to a second pipe and in fluid communication with arecycled effluent source.
 14. The fluid treatment system of claim 10,wherein the fluid is water-based.
 15. The fluid treatment system ofclaim 10, wherein the media is one of sand and a seeding agent.
 16. Thefluid treatment system of claim 15, wherein the seeding agent is amaterial that can be fluidized and provide a nucleation point to form acrystal, and/or provide for the adsorption of a precipitated material.